


"Love Will Come and Find Me Again"

by rosesonraindrops



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Bandstand - Oberacker/Oberacker & Taylor, Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, and it is strongly implied that the band playing is the Donny Nova band, but there is mentions of the song, it's not a crossover, mostly - Freeform, real cute, season two, takes place between "Life of the Party" and "A Little Song and Dance"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24239566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesonraindrops/pseuds/rosesonraindrops
Summary: Peggy hasn't gone dancing in a very long time. In fact, she can't quite remember when. Everything has been rather confusing lately (and she doesn't just mean with Zero Matter turning some of her friends into ghosts, although that has been a unique challenge), especially regarding her feelings and a lot of change.When Peggy goes out dancing for the first time in a while, she realizes that maybe love is in the cards for her after all.---song lyrics are from Bandstand and absolutely do not belong to me, but they fit incredibly well.
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	"Love Will Come and Find Me Again"

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO if you have made it this far that is DEDICATION and i am very thankful for you! Okay so, I'm largely assuming (I know assumptions are bad, but sue me) that you probably have not listened to the song featured in this fic, and I strongly recommend giving it a search, it's the name of the fic. ALSO you need exactly zero background knowledge of Bandstand, but if you know it, then you also know I couldn't resist writing this because the timing is quite literally perfect. (The Band would’ve been on tour right about now, which would be roughly 1947.)

Although no one ever believed her when they first found out, Peggy loved dancing; she had always loved the sway of the music, and the way dancing would always make sense, even when nothing else in her life did. And then Steve died. Peggy still loved dancing, but anytime she went out, she couldn't seem to avoid the pang in her heart.

_"Alright. A week next Saturday at the Stork Club."_

_"You've got it."_

_"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?"_

And then, like that, he was gone. And she was alone, with no one to dance with. Peggy hadn't gone dancing in a long time. Every time she did, she almost felt like she was disrespecting Steve. She knew that she had to move on, that he was gone, and she was still here, but a part of her still couldn't quite let go.

"Peggy? Are you coming?" Rose asked, clearly expecting a reply.

Very rarely did Peggy ever lose focus when she was at work. She couldn't afford to let herself slip, not when she always had something to prove. And yet, here she was, dwelling on something she couldn't change. _You can't save everyone_ , she reminded herself before turning to Rose and saying, "I'm sorry, Rose. Where are we going?"

"Dancing! Everyone's coming…" she trailed off, "even Sousa." The mention of Sousa was accompanied by a knowing smirk and the subtle raise of her eyebrows.

Rosa may have been on phones for most of her time at the SSR, but you couldn't get _anything_ past her.

Peggy quickly tidied up her desk, locking away all of her notes on Whitney Frost. "I suppose I could come. I don't remember the last time I went out and properly danced," she answered.

Rose smiled again. "That's what I thought. Now let's go!"

The dancing clubs in California were very different from the ones in New York, Peggy noticed. Or maybe it was just that the whole scene had changed since she last went out. Either way, the lights seemed to be brighter, and the music seemed to be louder.

She turned to Rose. "Maybe this was a mistake, I haven't--"

"Oh no you don't, Peg! You're coming with me," Rose said, muscling Peggy into the club. _Wow, she was strong_ , Peggy thought.

"Rose, I really don't think I'll make good company, I'll only ruin your fun,” she argued. She suddenly felt warm, and more alert than when she was on a regular mission. She scanned the building looking for exits she could use early into the night, hopefully after Rose had forgotten about her and perhaps had a couple of drinks. 

But Rose was on a mission of her own; she walked Peggy deeper into the building until she found the rest of the agents. It seemed like the SSR had practically taken over the dance floor. She almost couldn't believe her eyes. Very little could overwhelm Peggy, but this was a close call.

"Hey, Carter," Sousa called from one of the nearby tables off to the side. He smiled at her, in that warm "I care about you" way, and suddenly the music and the lights didn't seem so loud and bright.

"Agent Sousa," Peggy said, pulling out the chair next to him and sitting.

"Agent, Peggy? Really? This isn't the SSR," he replied, his eyes crinkling. 

“Daniel," she amended, "you don’t strike me as one for…all of this."

"I'm not," he answered, "but it doesn't hurt to go out with the rest of the group sometimes. Besides, my fiancée left me, and there aren't many better places to drown your sorrows."

"Ah, yes. I am sorry about that, Daniel, truly. Would you like some company?"

"As long as you don't want to dance right now."

Peggy smiled, and said, "I think I'll manage."

So Peggy didn't dance. Instead she sat at the corner table and talked to Sousa. She had forgotten what it was like to be friends with him. Everything was so different after he had left. Between the unreturned calls, and the…everything else, they were always tiptoeing around each other in some strange dance of their own. Things had started to go back to normal; they had both moved on after working with each other again. And then he had told her about Violet breaking off the engagement because of her, and she had felt _so guilty_ , but then she was holding his and and they were _nearly_ kissing, and she thought she had wanted to kiss him. And then, like clockwork, the moment ended and they were back to awkward pauses and glances that lasted longer than they were supposed to.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or perhaps the music, but after spending nearly half the evening with Sousa she said, "I've missed you."

He seemed taken aback-- surprised, even -- but then he smiled again. "I've missed you, too, Peg."

She felt herself leaning in. He did the same; her eyes began to flutter closed, and they couldn't have been more than a few inches apart when they were interrupted by Rose, who had clearly been having a good night.

"Come on, Peggy!" She exclaimed, slurring the few words she had said. "You promised me you would dance!"

"I already told you, Rose. I haven't danced for a long time," she protested.

"I haven't either," Sousa chimed in, clearing his throat as though that would make the last few minutes disappear. His subtle joke was enough to clear the air, at least a little, and Peggy smiled wryly.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Rose cried again.

Peggy's continued protests were in vain; once Rose had grabbed hold of her wrist, there was no letting go. She dragged Peggy to the dance floor, and when she glanced back at where Sousa was sitting, all she saw was him laughing.

The first song was fastand upbeat, and she was practically thrown into the arms of her partner. She was quite rusty, and her recent injury certainly wasn't helping matters. But once she started, she found she couldn't quite stop, even with Sousa's company calling. Even the usual sadness that struck her when she danced seem to be at bay.

Finally, once Rose had decided enough was enough and had gone home for the night, Peggy realized she could use a break.  
She looked over to where Sousa had been, expecting an empty chair; after all, it had gotten quite late. But there he was, still sitting, waiting for her. She made her way back to him, and couldn't help but wince as she sat. Sousa looked at her, and then to her abdomen, concern tracing the subtle lines in his face.

"Peggy, are you-"

"I'm fine, Daniel. I just haven't danced in a while," she replied.

"Oh, so this has nothing to do with being impaled, then?"

"That may contribute to some of the…soreness."

After deciding that she was, in fact, okay, he said with a slight smirk, "I guess you'll just have to stay here then."

"I have to say, Daniel, I'm surprised you're still here," Peggy said.

"I was having a good time. A couple of the guys came by and talked with me. And it was fun, watching you and Rose dance."

Peggy felt her cheeks warm. She wanted to chalk it up to alcohol, but she knew better.

"Was it, really?" she said a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Not-- not, not like that. Just that you--"

Peggy laughed. "I know what you meant."

Now, it was important to note that Peggy had never believed that things happen for a reason. If that were true, it would mean that her coworkers were pigheaded for a reason, and she knew better than that. And yet, if anything was going to sway her belief that everything happens for a reason, it was the next few moments.

There was a sudden switch from the quick-paced songs that had been playing most of the night to a slower song. The woman that had been singing for the past hour announced that it would be the last song of their set. There was a roll of chords, and then she began to sing.

"I've heard this," Sousa said. "It's on the radio sometimes. It's one of my favorites." He smiled.

"I haven't heard it," Peggy said. She listened closely now, probably for the first time all night.

_"Once upon a time,_

_I would wake beside a man,_

_Who would make me feel like nothing could take him from me…"_

Peggy rolled her eyes, about to question Sousa's taste in music, when he said, "Just listen."

_"Once I thought forever was real,_

_I thought my life was ideal,_

_I thought that nothing could steal it, you see…"_

"Do you want to dance, Peggy?" Daniel asked. She could see the hope in his eyes, and she could feel the weight of the question. "Real slowly, of course, and right here. I don't want you to get hurt and, I-"

"I would love to dance, Daniel," she said, smiling as she stood up.

He stood hastily to meet her, and she looped her arms around his neck as the song continued. They didn't move much, but she felt the distance close between them as the band continued to play.

_"...Faith in ever after was done,_   
_And I gave up ever wondering when,_

_Love will come and find me again…"_

"It's quite a sad song, is it not?" Peggy asked.

"It's more…bittersweet," he answered.

They continued to sway slowly, even as the band picked up slightly, but Peggy could not care less. It was as though Daniel and her were the only ones there. The gentle rocking motion of their dancing (if you could call it that) was almost calming, and she felt herself slip into the song and Daniel's presence.

_"Trouble is the more you deny,_

_The more you don't even try,_

_The more the world passes by in a haze._

_Soon you find you don't even know how many years you let go,_

_The chances wasted in so many ways…"_

Her body was flush against his; she was careful to make sure she wasn't leaning, but he certainly didn't seem to mind their proximity to each other. She rested her head on his shoulder, and his hand, which had previously been rested carefully on the small of her back, slipped down to her waist.

The woman singing delved into what seemed to be near the end of the song passionately, singing,

_"…Lately I've been thinking it's time,_

_To take a look at what I'm doing then, clinging to if only,_

_Heaven knows there's more then one man,_

_And maybe I should be planning for when,_

_Love will come and find me again…"_

Suddenly Peggy was back in the club, where there were people and lights, and it wasn't just her and Daniel. Suddenly the dull pain in her side was accompanied by the pang in her heart, and Steve was there, too. She was reminded why she didn't dance much anymore, even though she had loved it.

_"Letting go of what might have been,_

_And letting something else in, only then,"_

She continued to hold on to Daniel, but her mind was racing. She was staring at the woman, and she swore she saw her look at the pianist after that line before finishing the song in a flourish, pouring all of her emotion into the last line,

_"Love will come and find me…again."_

As the music swelled and then slowly faded, she realized that the dance was over, and so was the moment, short and wonderful…and perfect. She looked at Daniel, her heart still feeling as though it had been squeezed, and her thoughts racing faster than they ever had before, which was saying something after recent events. 

Sometimes Peggy forgot that she wasn't the only woman who had lost the love of their life in the war. Then again, she was pretty sure she was the only woman who literally heard the one they loved die to save the entire world from certain death.

Although the song had already ended, she and Daniel still hadn't broken apart. Finally, reluctantly, she released her arms, and took a step back. She took a good look at Sousa, who had returned to himself, more or less.

She couldn't stop thinking about the lyrics, so she said, "You were right, Daniel. It was a good song."

He didn't respond right away. When he finally did, he said quietly, "Yeah. Um, I should probably get going soon, but, it was nice talking to you and, uh, and dancing with you."

She smiled, and suddenly feeling bold, kissed him on the cheek, and said, "Goodnight, Daniel." He turned, and left hastily, leaving her alone in the club with the bright lights and now quiet music. Once she was sure he was gone, she gathered her own things, and weaved her way out of the club.

As she made her way back to Stark's mansion, she thought about Steve, and her love for him, and how they never did get that dance. And her heart did still hurt, but she also thought about how much she had ahead of her, how she had been clinging to every memory of him that she could, even avoiding dancing. And then she realized that she didn't plan on finding love again until she met Daniel Sousa, this man who was quiet and awkward and one of the first men to ever be respectful to her the first time. She thought about how he listened to her, and how he cared, and how he always managed to find something good in a world that was full of so many bad things. And then Peggy didn't wonder so much if love had found her again; she knew that love had found her again. And now that she had him, she was going to do everything she could to not let him leave again.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you like it i know it's kind of bittersweet, i would appreciate ANY feedback you can give me, and if you liked it, i would love to know that, too! thank you so, so much for taking a chance on this cute lil one shot i wrote last night at 12:30 :)


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